Mongoose Credits FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions for Mongoose Credits

This article has three categories of FAQs:

• General Questions
• Credit Usage Questions

General Questions

Why do I need to use credits to send?
Carrier and platform costs have changed dramatically in the past few years – for instance, carriers now account for over half of the cost to deliver a message. Credits normalize those costs across channels so you only pay for what you use, gain transparent team‑level ROI, and keep flexibility to shift channels without a pricing rewrite.

Why are credits so expensive?
Compared fairly, they’re competitive. We price SMS per full sent message, not per 160‑character segment like many vendors. Messages that would split into multiple segments elsewhere still use just one single SMS credit here. (Rich formats like MMS have different conversions - see the Mongoose Credits - Purchasing Guide.) 

How do credits work for long SMS or MMS?
SMS = one credit per message (not per message segment; one message may have several message segments included). Rich formats such as MMS and certain message attributes (e.g., media) have different conversions; the translation table spells that out so you can plan.

Do unused credits roll over?
Yes. Credits don’t expire and are channel‑agnostic, so you can hold them for peak periods and shift between SMS, MMS, AI chat, or WhatsApp as needed.

How do credits apply to inbound vs. outbound?
Credits are tied to all messaging, regardless of direction. Although this also includes inbound messages, remember that these messages are many times more valuable to you than outbound ones as they are proof of connection with your constituents and they spark genuine conversations. For channel‑specific details or edge cases, use the translation table or ask your CSM to review your typical flows.

Credit Usage Questions

Why do I have fewer credits than I expected?
You saw higher‑than‑budgeted engagement - good news. Credits follow activity, and now you have visibility to pace or reallocate by team. You can add credits anytime; they don’t expire and work across channels.

Why do I have more credits than I expected?
Your sending pace was lower than plan. No problem - credits roll forward and can be used on SMS, MMS, AI chat, or WhatsApp when you’re ready. If you want to ramp, we can recommend high‑impact campaigns and best‑send windows.

Why can’t I know how many credits something is before I send it?
Right now, use our credit translation table to estimate by channel and message type (length, emojis/Unicode can affect carriers). Inline pre‑send estimates are on our roadmap. We won’t block active campaigns if you dip below your balance.

Why does Team A have more credits than Team B?
Initial allocations reflect historic volumes or an Admin request. If the pattern no longer fits, your CSM can transfer credits between teams quickly.

Will you stop or throttle our messages if we run low?
We won’t interrupt critical sends mid‑flight. If you prefer stricter guardrails, talk to your CSM - we can help you monitor pacing and reallocate in time.

Can we get alerts before we run low?
Your Credit Usage report shows real‑time balances and trends, along with the number of expected days of credits remaining based on your sending patterns. Your CSM can also review pacing with you and set up a simple check‑in cadence so you’re never surprised.

Are you monitoring our content now that usage is visible?
There are no changes to content visibility or permissions. The Credit Usage report surfaces volumes and trends by team; your existing content access rules stay the same and information about credits is only available to Admin users in teams with at least one credit-based feature enabled.

Can we cap teams or set monthly budgets?
Hard caps, no, since we wanted to ensure your teams can send the critical messages they need to in the moment - but you can use this new visibility to pace sends per team, and request reallocation of credits per team via your CSM.

Can we move credits between teams ourselves?
Today, transfers are handled through your CSM to avoid accidental over‑ or under‑funding. Reallocation can be completed quickly.

What about seasonality (admissions, yield, giving day, etc.)?
Credits are built for that. Stock up ahead of peak weeks, then coast during quiet periods. Nothing expires, and you can reallocate to match the calendar.

How do I know how many credits I’ll need?
The Credit Usage report calculates this for you: it shows your average daily usage, projects how long your balance will last, and even breaks it down by team or user. You don’t have to guess - we help you forecast with real data.

What if another team burns through all the credits?
We allocate and show credit usage by team, inbox, and even individual user. You can spot imbalances quickly, and your CSM can reallocate credits across teams if needed.

If you did not find an answer to your question, please reach out to your Client Success Manager for further help and clarification.